Michael Jackson & the Cost of Celebrity

It's been a handful of days after his unexpected death and the news coverage on Michael Jackson has yet to slow down. The tributes, commentaries and retrospectives seem endless as his fans and admirers seek to cope with the reality that a larger than life superstar is now dead.

I've already written about my thoughts on Jackson here so I won't reiterate all of that but I was intrigued by Doug Gross's article on CNN.com about the price that the King of Pop paid for his fame. A performer since his earliest days, Michael never was able to experience childhood as others do. In Jackson's own words:

"The public at large has yet to really understand the pressures of childhood celebrity, which, while exciting, always exacts a very heavy price," Jackson wrote in 2000 in a column for the religious Web site beliefnet. "More than anything, I wished to be a normal little boy. I wanted to build tree houses and go to roller-skating parties. But very early on, this became impossible."

Gross refers to the heavy demands Joseph Jackson, Michael's father, placed on Michael and his brothers and how his odd behavior over the years likely stemmed from this disfunction in his formative years. It's been argued that many kids have had harsh, demanding fathers with unreasonable expectations so why did Michael turn out the way he did? I believe the combination of his talent, money, fame, denied youth and inability to connect with others likely all played a role in who he grew up to be.

Michael admitted that he just wanted to be a normal little boy and lead a life that other kids have. He wanted to laugh and play and have a life without pressure. It's sad that a path was chosen for him that he could never really get out of because it was all he knew. In a culture that rewards those that seek fame simply to be famous I wonder how many more Michael Jacksons we may be creating as we use children for entertainment and spit them out when their cuteness wears off and we move onto something else. It's at least something to think about...

Michael Jackson Dead at 50

To say that I was a Michael Jackson fan as a child would be putting it mildly. So learning of his death this afternoon was a bit of a jolt. I, along with many of his fans, grew tired of eccentricities over the years and were troubled by the allegations that had been directed towards him. But during the peak of his Thriller days, MJ was nothing more than a tremendous entertainer that took the music world by storm.

As a young white kid growing up in the eighties, I wanted to be like Michael in many respects. The Thriller album was the first record I ever bought, his poster was on my wall, I owned a "Beat It" jacket and sequined glove and I even impersonated him at some events and talent shows. Yes, in case you're wondering, I can still moonwalk.

As I got older and Michael got weirder, I began to see him in a different light. I saw him as a child trapped in a man's body with an incredible amount of insecurities to go along with his immense talent. It became increasingly obvious to observers that his issues ran deep and he often seemed out of touch with reality. As a child I looked upon him with admiration and awe; as an adult I viewed him with concern and pity.

There is no doubt that he was one of the most gifted performers in the history of modern music. His videos are still the standard by which others are measured and his upcoming concert dates in London were sold out almost as quickly as they were made available. As I reflect upon his death I feel a sense of sadness because I don't think he ever found the wholeness and fulfillment that each of us long for. His riches and worldwide fame couldn't bring him the happiness he so desperately longed for.

I don't know where Michael was in his faith or what his beliefs about God were. But I do know that his musical talents are not what counts now that he is dead. He had fifty years on this earth and I hope that at some point he placed his faith in Christ.

My all-time favorite song of his is "Man in the Mirror" and I've included the original video for it in his honor. (Please click here if the video player doesn't show up).